The delegation visiting the UK in spring 2014 included the Chief Judge and Chairman of the Lagos State Judicial Service Commission and the Attorney General of Lagos State.

The problem

The high-level Nigerian delegation wanted to travel to London for a five-day bespoke training programme that gave an overview of the UK justice system to study best practice and learn from the British system. The client requested specific areas of knowledge to be included in the course including judicial conduct and appointments. The group were keen for the programme to encompass tutor-led learning, practical exercises and guided study tours around particular sites of interest or relevance to their work in Lagos.

Our actions

We quickly responded to the training needs of the group and drew up an initial response. It was imperative that the design and development of the programme would resonate with all members of the delegation, incorporate their different learning styles and encompass a wide range of objectives.

From the outset, we were involved in continual dialogue with the client, allowing us to constantly adjust the structure and content of the course based on their feedback. The finished product was an extensive programme that, whilst tackling different themes each day, gave a comprehensive overall picture and continuously built learning throughout the week.

From the beginning of the project, we anticipated the logistical difficulties involved in such an extensive programme which comprised a large amount of external speakers, venues and catering possibilities. The Dods Training project management team, utilising our wider Dods Group network, worked to secure the best possible value for money options in order to provide the visiting delegation with a both a comfortable learning environment and enjoyable visit to London. Programme highlights included an interactive workshop in the Houses of Parliament, a guest speaker session from the Chairman of the Judicial Appointments Commission, and an introduction to UK common law by one of the country’s most prominent legal scholars.

Conclusions

The feedback from the course was extremely positive. One hundred per cent of participants said their training objectives had been met and participants stated that the course had been “well organised”, “useful”, “worthwhile” and “exciting”.

Participants also commended the programme for being tailored to address their specific needs and objectives. The delegation praised the choice of content and speakers for being so relevant to their daily duties and noted the importance of having the opportunity to talk with them directly.

The Dods Training team had to confront the logistical issues inherent in designing and delivering such an extensive course. There was also a certain amount of scepticism from several parties about the cost-benefits of hosting in London as opposed to Lagos. We took the decision early on to hold the programme in appropriate and relevant venues in and around the Westminster area. This allowed the group to move swiftly from one site to another and maximise time for learning and networking. We were able to rely on our esteemed relations with Westminster and Whitehall to secure guest speakers relevant to both the interest areas of the group and their seniority. This was reflected in the glowing feedback the speakers received.

Those initially dubious about holding the course in London also concluded that it had been beneficial. Participants pointed out that had the course been held in Lagos, they would not have had the opportunity to visit the courts or Parliament; sites integral to the week's training. A couple of participants highlighted the speakers as intrinsic to the course’s success, something which would not have been available if held in Nigeria. Others also stated that hosting it outside Lagos meant there were less distractions and enabled the group’s learning.